Seducing Mr. Perfect

Chapter Two

"You were supposed to send in the report at 4pm, where is it?" Isabel asked her secretary. She was new and probably didn’t have a hang of things yet but she was too sluggish and Isabel wondered if the HR department missed that fact because she was a senator’s daughter on an internship spree.

Amanda shifted uncomfortably and cleared her throat twice "I… I was told to stop writing it" she said, her eyes trailed to the floor, clearly avoiding Isabel's gaze. The Amanda she knew was bold and saucy even when she was wrong.

"Who has that authority to stop an instruction I had clearly emphasized was urgent." Isabel asked, baffled, she couldn’t understand the audacity.

"Mr. Gonzalez"

Isabel felt like a bucket of ice had been draped all over her. Was she not meeting her father's standard anymore?

She looked at Amanda squarely. "I don’t care who gives you a counter instruction. Next time, make sure you report back to me immediately. I’m I clear?"

"Yes ma’am"

"Good, you may leave"

Just as the door slammed shut, it wheezed open again.

"What has got your panties in a twist my love" the voice was unmistakable and feminine

Isabel leaned back in seat and twirled her chair around till she was facing her table again and her best friend Maria.

"You scream tired, what are you stressing over this time?"

Maria plopped herself into the chair opposite her and brought out a bottle of wine.

"Isn’t it too early to be getting drunk Maria" Isabel asked as she opened a file in front of her

"This…" Maria pointed at the wine bottle "… is nonalcoholic and is also a proven prescription from stress. So what’s up, why are you so worked up? I can see all your wrinkles."

Isabel leaned back again and winced at the sharp pain in her back "my dad has been blocking all my work this past month. I get a call, and Mr. Gonzalez has withdrawn this, and Mr. Gonzalez has instructed this, blah blah. He’s never interfered before."

"Have you spoken to him or your mum?"

"You know how they are. I've been scared to reach out." Isabel rubbed her temples in annoyance; she felt ten years older.

Maria leaned forward and snatched the file Isabel was forcefully reading. "You look like you haven’t slept in days. Work can wait, let’s go have fun."

Isabel glared at her. "By fun you mean wasting away with a bottle of wine and crying over all your recent heartbreak. You’re on what now, 8… 10."

"Fun this time means dressing in our sexiest dresses and going to a club with loud music, sweat and handsome dudes." Maria corrected.

For someone who was an A list fashion designer, Maria was too irresponsible and how the two connected on such a deep level was beyond Isabel's imagination. Maria had received everything on a platter of gold, whilst she scrubbed toilet floors and cleaned vomit until she was adopted. She had too much too loose if she didn’t make Gonzalez Shippings succeed, so it was best she remained as unfun as possible.

"You’re doing that thing again, where you blank out and stare into space… come on let's go"

"I'm just worried what if he fires me or doesn't approve of my work ethics. What if…"

"Stop worrying Izzy. Everything will be fine."

Isabel's phone buzzed at that point. She had a rule of ignoring phone calls during work hours. She peeped at the phone's screen to verify it was a call she could dismiss till she was done.

"Mother" displayed on her home screen

She quickly the slid the green icon to answer the call

"Yes mother." She greeted

"Is that how I taught you to answer the phone?" her mother snapped.

"You should greet and ask how I'm faring"

"Pardon my manners ma. How are you doing?"

"There's a family meeting today at the manor, don't be late and don't come dressed in those rags you like you wear." Her mother stated instead and hug up.

Isabel sat in silence as the conversation with her mother replayed in her head.

"What's wrong?" Maria asked concerned

"We have a family meeting at the manor. That's all she said."

Maria signed deeply.

"You know you don't have to put up with this right."

"It wouldn't be right Maria. They've done too much to help me.

************** ***************** *****************************

Isabel smoothened her dress as she eyed her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was parked in a tight ponytail and she was dressed in an elegant O-neck gown with puffy hands. The gown stopped just above her knee and her curves filled the dress. She needed to look perfect today. Perfect enough to not see a mother's disapproving gaze. She took out her hair tie and tied her hair again until she felt skull draw back. She winced at the pain and tried to bear it.

Her reflection screamed 'done', but her eyes kept searching for a hint of disorderliness in her appearance. Ever since the Gonzalez had adopted her, they had painted an image of perfection to her and anything less was frowned upon. Her dresses were ordered from the best fashion house and they had a personal hairstylist come every Saturday to style their hair for the week.

Even while she was in college her mother would send her dresses and request that she send a picture of how she looked each day at the end of the week.

"I've sent Samielle some clothes for you. Make sure to wear them. Don't forget that you are the image of the Gonzalez family at your school." Her mother would often say.

Sabella knew that she had more clothes and an average young woman, but there was nothing she could do about it. Her parents were so bothered about how she looked that they hired a nutritionist to create a strict diet for her. She had to consistently fast intermittently because her curves made it difficult for her to maintain a size 10.

Isabella groaned in pain and took off the hair tie again letting her hair cascade around her shoulders. She ran her fingers on her scalp to reduce the tension and relieve her scalp.

Just once she wanted to let her hair fall and not think about the consequences. She picked up her purse, and her phone and went out to her car; a pink Mercedes Benz E class that she received at her graduation. She hated the color pink but she didn't have the nerve to say no to the gift or even repaint the car.

"You're late Isabel… you kept us waiting" her mother says as soon as she walks into the dining room.

She walked up to her mother in response and hugged her.

"Why is your hair not tied in a ponytail?" She whispered in her ears.

"I have a headache mum" she whispered back and pecked her mum's cheeks.

"I'm sorry sir I couldn't escape the traffic." she explained to her father waiting for him to indicate that it was okay for her to sit down. Her father barely acknowledged her presence but Isabel didn't feel the pangs of hurt anymore. She was accustomed to being ignored and apologizing more than 20 times a day. She sat down when her mother indicated that she did so with a wave of her hand and picked up a napkin from the table to place on her lap. Her mother called it basic etiquette. When she noticed that Liliana was absent she quickly asked

"Won't Liliana be joining us today?"

"Liliana does not need to be here." her father snapped. She flinched at the venom in his voice and shifted slightly on her seat. Her mother touched his hand gently in a calming motion.

"God give me the Grace to go through this tonight" she prayed silently. The room was engulfed in silence. Even the meds that usually scurry in and out of the dining room during each email when nowhere in sight.

"I'm not sure you've heard but the company is bankrupt." Her father started his voice lighter than before. "We embarked on a business deal that wasn't quite profitable and we took out a loan to fund it. It has landed us in great distress." He continued

Isabella knew well not to interrupt our father but she was curious about what kind of deal it was. When the loan was taken and why should she was just hearing about the company going bankrupt.

"The bank will be here in 2 weeks to collect the house and the company as collateral. Since we are past our repayment date."

Isabella gasped. She didn't realize it was that serious. She noticed her mother's sober face and wondered if her parents would survive such humiliation. They had arrived so hard to paint a perfect and comfortable Family. Would they be able to survive the stain on their reputation if this got out?

"In a bid to save the company I have accepted Mr Castell-Salva's help. He would repay our debt of 150 million dollars in exchange, you 'll get married to his grandson Rafael."

Isabella paused. She sat there in utter shock.

So this was it? The reason they had polished her so well

She tried to open her mouth to say something, to speak up but it remained shut

"See it as payment for everything we have done for you over the years. Nothing can pay us back for picking you up from the gutters and seeing to it that you have a decent life. It is the least you can do." Her mother piped in.

Isabel realized there was no room to argue their decision.

"If that's your wish then I do not see any harm in agreeing to this." She replied.

She could barely look both of them in the face.

Once her dad heard her reply, he pushed his chair back and stormed out of the room. They had barely even touched the array of food displayed on the table. She stood up and smiled at her mother.

"I'll take my leave now mother. Thank you for dinner."

She quickly exited the room before her mother could respond.

As she climbed into her car, she felt her heart tighten in her chest. she couldn't afford to disappoint them and it was not like she had the option to say no. What her parents wanted, her parents got.